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TOKYO, Oct 29- Japan's Nikkei share average ended flat on Monday as disappointment about profit warnings from Honda Motor Co and NTT DoCoMo Inc balanced hopes that the Bank of Japan will substantially expand its easing programme when it meets on Tuesday. The Nikkei dipped 3.7 points to 8,929.34 after tumbling off a four-week high on Friday.

TOKYO, Oct 26- Japan's Nikkei share average was knocked off a four-week high on Friday on concern that Chinese funds face heavy redemptions after a poor quarterly performance, and as disappointing earnings from Fanuc Ltd dragged.

The unlikely success story of Softbank Corp. President Masayoshi Son has taken another leap with his latest mega-deal, announced Monday, to take a 70 percent stake in U.S. mobile phone carrier Sprint Nextel Corp. for $20 billion.

TOKYO, Oct 12- Softbank Corp chief Masayoshi Son told reporters last week he decided to buy a smaller rival for $1.84 billion on an impulse- small change for someone who Forbes estimates lost $18 billion in the dotcom bust, but an unusual move in staid Japan.

*Deal could lead to Sprint buying Clearwire- analysts. *Sprint, Clearwire soar in afternoon trade; MetroPCS down. The Japanese company might also be aiming to use Sprint as a vehicle to make a run at smaller Sprint peer MetroPCS Communications Inc, a two-step transaction that would potentially cost more than 2 trillion yen, according to a Nikkei report.

*Sprint, Clearwire soar in afternoon trade; MetroPCS flat. TOKYO/ NEW YORK, Oct 11- Japanese mobile carrier Softbank Corp may buy a majority stake in Sprint Nextel Corp to establish a foothold in the U.S. wireless market, in what could be the largest Japanese acquisition ever in America.

*Sprint, Clearwire soar in afternoon trade, MetroPCS sinks. TOKYO/ NEW YORK, Oct 11- Japanese mobile carrier Softbank Corp may buy a majority stake in Sprint Nextel Corp to establish a foothold in the U.S. wireless market, in what could be the largest Japanese acquisition ever in America.

*Sprint, Clearwire soar in early trade, MetroPCS sinks. TOKYO/ NEW YORK, Oct 11- Japanese mobile carrier Softbank Corp and U.S. operator Sprint Nextel Corp. are in talks about a deal that could see Softbank assume control of Sprint.

*Sprint, Clearwire soar in early trade, MetroPCS sinks. TOKYO/ NEW YORK, Oct 11- Japanese mobile carrier Softbank Corp is in talks to buy a majority stake in U.S. operator Sprint Nextel Corp for more than 1 trillion yen, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, adding yet another potential shake-up to the fast-changing U.S. wireless market.

*Sprint, Clearwire soar in early trade, MetroPCS sinks. TOKYO/ NEW YORK, Oct 11- Japanese mobile carrier Softbank Corp is in talks to buy a majority stake in U.S. operator Sprint Nextel Corp for more than 1 trillion yen, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, adding yet another potential shake-up to the fast-changing U.S. wireless market.

*Sprint shares up 16 pct in premarket trade. TOKYO/ NEW YORK, Oct 11- Softbank Corp, Japan's third-largest mobile carrier, is in talks to buy a majority stake in U.S. operator Sprint Nextel Corp for more than 1 trillion yen, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

*Softbank to buy majority in Sprint- source. TOKYO, Oct 11- Softbank Corp, Japan's third-largest mobile carrier, is in talks to buy a majority stake in U.S. operator Sprint Nextel Corp for more than 1 trillion yen, said a source with direct knowledge of the matter, as it seeks to expand overseas.

NTT DoCoMo, Japan's top mobile phone operator, said on Wednesday its quarterly profit rose 45 percent after it slashed incentives on handsets, and it kept its full-year forecast for a small growth that is below market expectations.